Merced’s Fluetsch is MVP of CCC

After losing two games in the first round of Central California Conference play, the Merced High School boys water polo team wasn’t in a good spot.

The Bears trailed Atwater by two games with five to play.

But Merced battled back, winning its final six games to win the CCC title. Leading the way was senior Josh Fluetsch, who was picked by conference coaches as the CCC MVP.

“I was really happy when I found out,” Fluetsch said. “To be named MVP is amazing. I kind of figured one of the better players on the team that won it would get it. It could have been Brody (Patterson) if Atwater won or Andrew Navarro if Buhach Colony won.”

Fluetsch was one of the Bears’ leading scorers and playmakers who performed well down the stretch to help Merced overtake Atwater in the standings.

“We really thought we had what it takes in the beginning to win it,” Fluetsch said. “Then we lose to Atwater and Turlock, and our team morale was down. Then I talked to (former) coach (Steven) Eccles, and he told me about his team that finished third in league and went all the way to the section finals.

“I told my team about that, and from there, we turned it around. If they did it, why couldn’t we do it?”

Merced defensive stopper Ethan Eagleton also was named to the All-CCC first team. He was joined by Patterson, Navarro, Golden Valley’s Cameron Hoppe, Buhach Colony’s Brandon Gordian and Golden Valley’s Cody Costa, along with Turlock’s Zach Glidden and Pitman’s Alex Selee.

The second team was comprised of Jonah Johnson of Buhach Colony, Abraham Santana of Merced, Jared Bernardi of Turlock, Allan Quin and Nathan Olson of Pitman and Jacob Johnson of Turlock.

All-WAC girls water polo – El Capitan sophomore Hope Stokes was named the Western Athletic Conference MVP after leading the Gauchos to a conference title in their first varsity season. Stokes led El Capitan in scoring.

Sydney Gerstenberg of Los Banos was named the top goalie.

The second team was comprised of Alex Marquez, Savannah Valenzuela and Miranda Velasquez of Los Banos, Madison Nolen and Toni Perez of El Capitan, Danielle Flores of Pacheco, Haley Randell of Livingston and Julia Pata of Ceres.

All-WAC volleyball – After leading Los Banos to an undefeated run through the WAC, Tigers outside hitter Jade Fachin was named the conference MVP.

Los Banos’ Greg Soliz was picked as Coach of the Year.

The Tigers also placed Julia Waldron and Veronica Lampreda on the All-WAC first team with El Capitan’s Ariana Johnson and Dayanna Torres.

Local players named to the second team included Livingston’s Alexis Meza, Los Banos’ Kirsten Roberston, Pacheco’s Emily Ocampo and El Capitan’s Linda Avila and Grace Patterson.

This story was originally published November 26, 2014 at 12:06 AM with the headline "Merced’s Fluetsch is MVP of CCC."